Doing something right...

[hokeshel]

...for a change.
Idaho has recognized that two of our biggest health risks, obesity and smoking, need to be addressed. In the past, medicaid did not pay for anything to help one with these problems. They are now approving some treatments, including patches and gums for smoking, some prescriptions for weight loss and in some cases, surgery for weight loss. This not only helps the individual but, our society. Taxpayers will save money in the long run by not having to pay for health issues caused by smoking and obesity.

 

[dong]

Excellent- for a long time the medical profession has been alarmed by such and been complaining about the lack of initiative dealing with it. This is a positive step in the right direction, but one must be careful regarding the trends in prescribing medication for obesity, as while weight maintenance is easier for some than others, and impossible for others still (like those with a glucocorticoid excess/hyperthyroid disorders), unfortunately for many people it is still not a profoundly medical so much as a matter of lifestyle. One cannot be fit without exercise and moderation of some sort.

I am less reserved about the smoker's patch although again that can be a tricky business- I know of cases where the smoker tries to use a patch then ends up using the patch, the gum AND the smokes! In the end there is no substitute for willpower, even if we can go a long way to levelling the playing field.

 

[eldragon]

I think these issues are educational, too.

And schools have all but cut out exercise programs, in most states. That's a big problem with obesity and kids who are just pudgy.

Here in Mississippi, they stopped selling soda in schools just this year. That's a good start.

 

[palefrost]

Um why dont they regulate the food industry like they are supposed to do with the FDA and stop big business from making food products full of preservatives and chemicals that make you eat more if they were so concerned about our health. At the present moment the industry is policing itself and we all see how well that is going..... :thumbdown:

As far as schools increasing gyms. Fine, but also stop serving up the sugar water and cupcakes every other day. Has anyone seen the junk they have in the cafeterias?

 

[dong]

Supersize Me showed on TV down in Oz on Sunday actually. I noticed quite a dramatic change in Maccas menu and health information distribution as well as a propoganda (damage-control) campaign implemented broadly just days after it came out. As part of a cultural change, the company is changing its image to become much more health conscious with everything from the food it offers to the advertising.

This kind of shift is reflected in campaigns that turn the attention towards school and our younger generations (a bit late, if you ask me). What I hope is that the broader implications from the obesity epidemic (which, by the way, is growing fastest of all in Australia), will be noted- i.e. general cultural attitudes and attitudes to parenting and responsibility.

 

[hokeshel]

Um why dont they regulate the food industry like they are supposed to do with the FDA and stop big business from making food products full of preservatives and chemicals that make you eat more if they were so concerned about our health. At the present moment the industry is policing itself and we all see how well that is going..... :thumbdown:

As far as schools increasing gyms. Fine, but also stop serving up the sugar water and cupcakes every other day. Has anyone seen the junk they have in the cafeterias?

My kids complain all time about the crap they serve at school. Luckily, two of my kids are in high school and they can eat salads at lunch and they sell juice in the vending machines. But, the Jr High and elementary schools serve crap. Those are the ages when are kids are forming their lifetime eating habits. Most are not going to choose salads and juice if they are used to soda pop and fries. I have also recently learned a lot more about food and some grocery isles I avoid completely. No wonder America is fat, depressed and has so many other health issues. We are poisoning ourselves, ironically with what is supposed to be nourishing us. Don't ge me wrong, I am going to keeo eating ice cream and steak. lol But, I have made some major changes in my diet.